Lost Containers

["Selah"]

Hey all, was just reading an earlier posting about Comanche. One of the responders brought back to my mind about the Vendee Ocean Race and one of the boats hitting a shipping container that had fallen overboard. The boat was stopped dead in the water with major damage but didn't sink. When I then googled about the frequency of containers being lost overboard from the container ships, I was amazed at the suspected losses per year; but the lackadaisical attitude regarding these floating traps really surprised me. I was wondering if any if you had ever encountered one of these overboard shipping containers in your years of sailing offshore--whether coastal cruising or crossing oceans. It looks like there is beginning to be attention given to all the plastic in the ocean thanks to the Volvo Ocean Race. So, I wonder. What about all these lost containers that are bobbing around and one day, will eventually reveal their contents. Then again, how about the sailing vessels that have gone missing and never heard from again--could they have been a victim of lost shipping containers? Just something that has been on my mind and wondered if anyone else was thinking about it. Thanks for your thoughts.
James

 

[dlochner]

Check this out:

https://gcaptain.com/watch-strong-winds-topple-containers-at-port-of-antwerp/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+Gcaptain+(gCaptain.com)&goal=0_f50174ef03-b51db2e3d5-139810701&mc_cid=b51db2e3d5&mc_eid=ebde4be63d

At sea container impact avoidance is primarily based on the Big Ocean theory. It is a very big ocean, containers are small and sailboats are small, therefore the probability of hitting one is very low.

Well designed expedition sailboats have watertight compartments in the bow, so that if a container is hit the damage and flooding is limited to the bow section with the boat staying afloat.

Unfortunately Cal 39s do not have watertight bow compartments.

 

[Don S/V ILLusion]

Don’t recall where but I read that you are statistically more likely to win the lottery than hit a container at sea.

 

[rgranger]

Don’t recall where but I read that you are statistically more likely to win the lottery than hit a container at sea.

 

[capta]

Well then, I should expect to win the lotto any day 7 years back.
Most containers manufactured and used today are manufactured with a valve that will allow the airtight ones to sink in a very short time if emersed in seawater.
As for hitting one, I can't think of anything else that would have thrown my 77,000# boat a hundred feet on her beam ends in a gale between Bermuda and the VI.

 

[The Shadow Knows]

I came across on while sailing several years ago about 20 miles offshore.
Luckily, I always keep a lookout.

It was a good thing, as the container top was flush with the surface & would
have been hard to spot if knot for the 2 foot seas splashing against it.

I then reported this & the position to the Coast Guard.

 

[Rick486]

Well then, I should expect to win the lotto any day 7 years back.
Most containers manufactured and used today are manufactured with a valve that will allow the airtight ones to sink in a very short time if emersed in seawater.
As for hitting one, I can't think of anything else that would have thrown my 77,000# boat a hundred feet on her beam ends in a gale between Bermuda and the VI.

77,000? Must carry a lot of beer

 

[capta]

77,000? Must carry a lot of beer

Rum!

 

[Rick486]

Rum!

Of course. That's it. Rum has higher density. Weighs more per bottle.

 

[dlochner]

Of course. That's it. Rum has higher density. Weighs more per bottle.

It is the bottle.

Beer is about 5% alcohol by volume, rum about 40% alcohol by volume.

Beer in aluminum cans floats. Beer in bottles sink. Rum in bottles means the skipper and crew have not been doing their jobs. ::rum bottle emoji::

 

[FDL S2]

On my lake I always worry about wood that washes off wood piles after heavy storms.

Several years ago, in my old 16ft Baja, I hit a 4ft diameter stump that was floating just beneath the surface after a storm and split the hull. I made it back to the ramp and left the bilge pump running. By the time I got the trailer under it the water inside the boat was about 2" from the gunnel.

I'm pretty sure the damage wouldn't be as extreme on my S2 if I hit one (50mph vs 6 and better construction) but I still keep an eye out.

 

[Gunni]

Unfortunately those container sink valves are pretty much still on the drawing board. And there is a glut of shipping containers worldwide as international commerce slows. My impression is that the multi-national commercial shippers care no more about us small boaters than they care about their crews. Careful out there!

 

[markwbird]

The air valve thing that allows the container to flood only works if the cargo inside the container is heavy enough to sink. Unfortunately that is often not the case. Electronics and other breakable items are packed in Styrofoam and similar so they will not sink.